


Someone I Love Was Born Today

by supercali



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, birthday fic, lots of fluff, very light angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-10-22 13:46:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10698267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supercali/pseuds/supercali
Summary: It's Robert's Birthday!





	Someone I Love Was Born Today

**Author's Note:**

> I asked for birthday fic prompts and I received this:
> 
> "Aaron forgets Robert's birthday (given they didn't celebrate last year) but Liv knows for some reason and gets him something. Cue Aaron feeling guilty and going over the top to make it up to him. (Ignoring The Incident preferably)"
> 
> So, here it is. In honour of it being Robert's birthday I have completely ignored recent canon so no prison, no Incident, no trip to Mauritius for anyone, instead they've just moved into The Mill.
> 
> Enjoy!

Robert felt like he was floating, the new mattress was perfect and he didn’t want to move. It’d taken him and Aaron ages to find the perfect bed, well it had taken him ages to find the perfect bed. Aaron had followed him around the store complaining that it was taking so long. The first night in their new home was a different story however and Aaron was very grateful for all the time it had taken.

He heard a groan from beside him and rolled over to see Aaron squinting against the brightness of what appeared to be a perfect spring morning. It was Saturday so they had nowhere to be, probably a good thing considering the state Aaron had been in when he arrived home the night before after a night out with Adam.

“You suffering?” He reached over and ruffled his husband’s hair, revelling in its gel free appearance.

“Go ‘way.”

“Charming! I’ll make the coffee then, shall I? Not sure I should be really, not today.” He pulled on a t-shirt and wandered down the stairs running a hand through his hair and yawning. He’d quite enjoy a lazy morning in bed with Aaron but it didn’t look likely. Maybe they could go out somewhere later, just the two of them.

“What’s got you smiling?” He swung round as Liv appeared behind him still in her pyjamas.

“It’s a beautiful day! You have plans today, right?” He asked hopefully as she sat at the table, feet immediately going up onto the chair next to her. He shook his head, couldn’t be bothered to tell her not to.

“Yeah, Chas is taking me shopping in Harrogate. Don’t worry, I won’t spoil whatever you’ve got planned.” He sits opposite her clutching his coffee.

“I don’t have plans as it happens. Aaron might though, once he’s conscious.” He tries to keep the hopefulness out of his voice, not in the mood for her teasing him today.

“Ooh, hang on!” She jumps up, almost tripping over her feet as she rushes from the room. He chuckles into his mug as she goes. A minute late she’s back, a wrapped parcel in her hand. He looks at her wide-eyed. “Here you go. Happy birthday. Tough luck if you hate it.” She says it with a smile so he ignores her.

“Liv! You didn’t have to. I didn’t even know you knew it was my birthday! Can I open it?”

“Vic told me,” she shrugs trying to play it down that she cares, “Course you can open it! It’s not much…”

He debates teasing and unwrapping it slowly but he resists temptation, instead ripping off the paper to find a Lego Star Wars set. It isn’t one of the more popular ones but then he knows the price of some of those so he’s not surprised but he loves it, loves the fact that she thought about what to get him rather than go for the kind of generic presents that he himself has probably been guilty of buying more than once.

“Liv, this is great! You know Aaron is going to moan, right?” He had frequently as Robert had unpacked his models and figures when they moved in. Robert had ignored him, happy to finally have a place to put them, something he hadn’t done since before he met Chrissie.

“Of course! I’m going to get dressed, Chas will be here soon.” She got up from the table and surprised him by coming round to give him a hug. “Happy birthday Rob. Don’t forget the card!”

With that she’s gone and he reaches for the card, dreading what he might find in the envelope, but he’s pleasantly surprised. It’s just words block printed on the front in different colours, but he bursts out laughing when he reads it.

_31 is just 18, with 13 years experience! Or put another way…_  
_217 in dog years!_  
_(31 doesn’t sound so bad now, does it?)_

He sets it down on the table next to the present, still smiling, before making a start on Aaron’s morning tea. He’s not heard any movement so he guesses he’s gone straight back to sleep. He’s right, when he gets upstairs Aaron is once more buried under the duvet just his hair visible. Robert sets down his tea before climbing onto the bed and pulling the covers away from Aaron’s face.

“You gettin’ up or what? You can’t sleep my birthday away.”

“What?” Aaron’s pushes the duvet away and stares up at him frowning.

“I said, you can’t sleep my birthday away.”

“Your birthday?” Normally Robert loved Aaron’s adorably confused look but this time he couldn’t deny being just a little disappointed. “Shit, Robert, I’m sorry.”

“S’alright, isn’t an important one.” He sits back on his heels out of Aaron’s reach. He shouldn’t be so bothered, it isn’t like he makes a fuss of birthdays usually, although that’s because he hasn’t had anyone around that he wanted to make a fuss with, but he hoped Aaron would be different. He’d understood last year when Aaron hadn’t mentioned it. With Liv arriving and the trial only just being over he’d had other things on his mind, but this year everything was settled and calm, yet he’d still forgotten.

“No! It is. They’re all important. I’m an idiot. You didn’t say anything!” He hadn’t because he didn’t think he needed to, Aaron shouldn’t need reminding. His face must give him away because Aaron shuffled closer to Robert placing kisses all over his face, “I’m sorry.”

“Doesn’t matter. You want breakfast?” Aaron shrugged, “Well I’m starving. I’ll see you downstairs.” He feels awful, pulling away from him like that, like a child having a tantrum but he can’t help feeling this way. He hears Aaron start the shower as he enters the kitchen, stopping as he sees Liv’s present, happy that at least one person remembered him.

He starts their breakfast, bacon and sausages grilling nicely, toast ready in the toaster, kettle boiled again when he hears the letterbox rattle. Collecting the post he sees a couple of envelopes that obviously contain cards and he frowns, can’t think who would be posting anything to him. He checks on the food before ripping into the first card.

His eyes sting as he opens it, moves the cheque for ten pounds out of the way, that itself a giveaway as to the sender before he even reads it. He’s thirty one and his Gran still sends him ten pounds, every Christmas and every birthday. He should go and see her he knows, before it’s too late. It’s been too long already. Maybe in the summer he can take Aaron and Liv, introduce them to Annie. The next card is a mystery but he laughs when he opens it. It’s from Victoria. Only his sister could live in the same village and post his card. He remembers she always loved collecting her birthday cards from the letterbox.

He sets them down on the table, tells himself he isn’t leaving them on show to rub it into Aaron’s face just a little, and goes to check on the breakfast busying himself as he hears Aaron coming down the metal staircase. He fixes a smile on his face and carries the plates of food to the table, noting when Aaron clocks the cards, his face falling just a bit.

“Where’s Liv?” Aaron asks, sitting down.

“Your Mum has taken her shopping in Harrogate. Won’t be back til late.”

“I’m an idiot.” Aaron puts his knife and fork down, breakfast barely touched.

“Well I know that. You’re my idiot though. Eat, Aaron, it’s fine. I’m a big boy, I’ll get over it.”

“You shouldn’t have to! I didn’t remember last year either. I’m your husband, I’m supposed to remember these things.” Robert reaches out and takes his hand.

“You had more than enough going on last year let alone remembering my birthday. Now, eat. You can buy me lunch at the pub, how about that?” He can never stay angry at Aaron too long and certainly not if he’s going to beat himself up about it. “Look I got ten pounds from Gran so we can go wild!”

“I can do better than lunch at the pub! You’re going to Vic’s, yes?” Robert nods, he said he’d call in briefly, expecting to have other plans. “Right, well after that we’ll do something. I’m not being outdone by my sister and your Gran!” He taps the Lego box in annoyance and Robert nods.

They finish their breakfast and after a detour to the shower where Aaron apologised once more, Robert made his way to his sister’s.

“Happy birthday!” She greets him with a smile and a hug. She swiftly hands him a present and he can see an elaborate cake on the worktop. “Is it the right one? When I got to the shop I forgot which one you’d said.”

“Yeah it is, thanks Vic.” He holds up the book that she’d asked the name of and nods. They did this, told each other what they wanted, knowing they could buy themselves whatever they wanted anyway. “And thanks for the card.”

“What did Aaron and Liv get you then?”

“Liv got me Lego,” She rolls her eyes, “I can’t help liking Lego. Leave me alone!”

“And Aaron?”

“He...uh...don’t know yet.” She frowns, “He’s sorting it now I think.”

“Hmm leaving it to the last minute isn’t he!”

“He forgot. I shouldn’t be mad, I mean it’s Aaron, he’s not organised.” He knows this, it’s part of why he loves him but still, it’s his birthday and Aaron’s his husband.

“Oh Rob! He’s just like Adam!”

“Does Adam forget your birthday?” He’s sure he would have heard her complaining if he did.

“No, but I make sure to mark it on the calendar every year. Maybe you should do the same.”

“Yeah, maybe.” He huffs a laugh, resolving to do just that. “Anyway I best be off, have to see Diane and then find out what he’s come up with.”

He hugs her goodbye and carefully transports his birthday cake up to the B&B to see Diane before making his way home, resolving to stop Aaron feeling guilty. It doesn’t matter, he has his husband here with him, he doesn’t need anything else.

“I’m back!” He slams the door behind him, leaving the presents he’s accumulated in the hallway, carrying the cake into the kitchen.

“Hi.” He hands him an envelope. “I popped to David’s, so don’t be expecting anything fancy.” He rips into it, not caring one bit that it isn’t fancy. Even if he had to be reminded, it’s still from Aaron.

_Someone I love was born today._  
_From your idiot husband. I love you._

He smiles, always does when he hears Aaron say ‘I love you’ in any form. He sets the card in pride of place on the table, in front of all the others, this one the most important.

“Thank you, my wonderful idiot.”

“Come on, we haven’t got much time.” Aaron’s at his side again, kissing his jaw.

“Where are we going?” He asks, his hands on Aaron’s hips, considering dragging him back to bed and to hell with the plans he’s made.

“Hmm, that’s a secret. You’ll like it, I think.” He looks down at his feet. “I really am sorry. I’ll do better.”

“Aaron you don’t need to do better, you’re perfect. It’s a birthday, I’ll have more of ‘em.” He kissed him, melting into him, arms tightening holding him close until Aaron pulled away.

“We have to go.” He hands Robert his jacket, shrugging on his hoodie and picking up his keys before ushering him out of the door.

An hour later he’s stood on an airfield on the outskirts of Leeds, staring at Aaron in amazement. “A flying lesson? You booked me a flying lesson?”

“Yeah...you hate it don’t you?” Aaron’s biting his lip, “I remembered you telling me you’d always wanted to.”

He can’t believe he remembered that conversation, long ago now, about childhood dreams, how he would often sit in one of the fields on the farm and watch the planes overhead, and wish he could be up there. It wasn’t even something he’d thought of much if at all, just the fantasies of a child, nothing more, but Aaron had listened, had remembered.

“Aaron, you...I can’t believe you remembered. This is great, really.” He grabs Aaron around the waist, pulls him close. “You’re coming too, right?”

“Oh no, no way!” Aaron pulls away but Robert won’t let go.

“Come on! It’s my birthday!” Robert hasn’t changed so much that he won’t use a little bit of guilt to persuade him.

Two hours later they’re back on firm ground after the lesson where they flew out over the Dales. Robert is grinning from ear to ear, he’s sure he looks like an idiot. Aaron on the other hand looks a little green.

“You alright?” He asks, arm slung round his husband’s shoulders.

“I will be. So am I out of the doghouse?” Robert laughs.

“You weren’t in the doghouse, don’t be daft! But that was _fantastic_! I love you.” He keeps his arm around him as they head back to Aaron’s car.

“Right, well, it’s not one of your fancy places but I called Mum and she and Liv are going to meet us back at the pub for dinner.”

“Perfect. Oh by the way, you do know that you’re helping me put the Lego together don’t you?” He can’t help smirking at his husband’s frown. It may not have started out the best but right now he can’t remember a better day.

“What!”

“You forgot my birthday, Aaron, you may not have been in the doghouse but you still have some making up to do.”

“I’d rather make it up to you in bed.”

“Don’t worry. We can do that too.” He settles back as they head back to the village, ignoring Aaron’s occasional grumbles about grown men playing around with little plastic bricks, musing on just how Aaron can finish making things up to him.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea if Robert would want to learn to fly or not but late last night it was the first thing that came up on Google...so I decided he did.
> 
> You can find me on tumblr  @nooneelsecomesclose17


End file.
